Feathering paddle-wheel



(No Model.)

H. A. & F. E. PIRRUNG. PEATHERING PADDLB WHEEL.

No. 437,619. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT A. PIRRUN G AND FRANK E. PIRRUNG, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

FEATHERlNGPADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,619, dated September 30, 1890.

' Application filed July 22,1889. Serial No. 318,218. oa'moaem" paddle arms or links with the paddles and To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HUBERT A. PIRRUNG and FRANK E. PIRRUNG, both of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,

have invented certain new and useful 'Im provements in Paddle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to paddle-wheels used to propel boats, whether bysteam or other power; and its object is to provide means whereby the paddles of the wheel may be held in avertical or any other desired position from the time of entering to leaving the water; and it consists, generally, in the construction and combination hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In our improved form of paddle-wheel the paddles enter and leave the water vertically, whereby the least possible resistance is offered to the motion, and as the paddles move through the water in a vertical position there is the minimum loss of propelling-power. We accomplish this result by pivotally supporting the paddles in the wheel and rigidly securing to them arms which are pivoted at their opposite end to the periphery of a wheel of equal diameter with the paddle wheel, which is adapted to be rotated in a plane parallel with that of the paddle-wheel 9, but eccentric with the paddle-wheel. This secondary wheel turns loosely in its bearings and is rotated by the paddle-wheel through the mediuinof the connecting-arms. The wheels being of equal diameter, the arms are always parallel with each other and with the plane through the shafts of the wheels, whereby the paddles are held in a vertical position throughout the entire rotation of the paddle-wheel.

1n the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved paddle-wheel, with its secondary or idler wheel arranged above it, attached to the side of a boat, the inclosing wheel-house being partially broken away to show the arrangement of the wheels and paddles. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, the wheel-house and hull of the boat being shown in section; and Figs. 3 and 4 are details showing the manner of connecting the idler-wheel.

In the drawings, 2 represents the hull of the boat; 3, the paddle-wheel shaft; 4, the Wheel- I 7 house inclosing the paddle and idler-wheel,

and 5 the idler-wheel. (Shown journaled in suitable bearings supported on the frame 10.) 6 6 are the paddles, preferably plano-rectangular in form and pivoted at either end to the periphery of a member of the paddle-wheel 9. The idler-wheel 5 is arranged with its center in the same vertical plane as the paddle-wheel shaft and rotates in the plane parallel with that of the paddle-wheel 9 and with its center preferably about a radius above the center of the paddle-wheel.

Rigidly secured to the projecting end of the paddle-spindles 7 and pivotally secured at the other end of the periphery of the idler-wheel 5 are the connecting arms or links 8, which are exactly equal in length to the distance between the center of the idler-wheel and the shaft of the paddle-wheel. Any desired number of paddles and their connecting-arms may be provided so long as there is room for each one of the series to clear the next in their progressive rotation. The connecting arms or links are at all times parallel with each other, and, as shown in the drawings, also parallel with the planes of the paddles, although the idler-Wheel may, if desired, be placed in any other position eccentric with the paddlewheel,but in a parallel plane, the connectingattached to any form of paddle-wheel and" in any position, providing the proper relation is maintained between the idler and paddle wheels.

Operation: The paddle-wheel 9 being propelled in the direction of the arrow, the paddles successively enter the water, pass th rough it, and rise from it in a vertical position, be-

ing held in that position by the arms 8, which are pivoted to the idler-wheel at the same distances apart as the paddles are arranged in the paddle-wheel. The arms serve as connecting-rods between the two wheels, bymeans of broadside upon it, much higher speed of the paddle-wheel may be obtained without shock or injury to the machinery, and consequently higher speed of the boat obtained.

We claim In a device of the class described, the combination, with the wheel 9, of the paddles 6, pivotally supported in its frame, an idler of the same diameter as the Wheel 9, supported in suitable bearings in the inclosing-house independent of and directly above the paddlewheel and at a distance from its axis equal to its radius, and arms 8, rigidly secured to the paddles 6 and pivotally secured in the periphery of said idler, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 10th day of June, 1889.

HUBERT A. PIRRUNG. FRANK E. PIRRUNG.

In presence of- T. D. MERWIN, A. MAE WELCH. 

